Non-NDA parties' reactions vary from indifferent to hostile

Congress on Friday downplayed Narendra Modi's anointment as BJP's prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, while the Samajwadi Party said his "dream will never come true".

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M Karunanidhi indicated that he may not support Modi saying his party "would not go back on its ideology of opposing communalism," while Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress said it was an internal matter of BJP.

NDA allies Shiromani Akali Dal and Shiv Sena, however, hailed the decision saying it reflected the mood of the people.

Congress put up an air of nonchalance over Modi's anointment after persistently targeting the Gujarat chief minister.

"How does it make a difference? How does it matter to us?", Chowdhury asked just hours after the party accused RSS of forcing a decision on BJP over declaring Modi its prime ministerial candidate.

"A Nagpur-based shadowy cabal of unaccountable geriatric gentlemen in period attire can ram decisions down BJP's throat and call it internal democracy," Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari alleged in a tweet before Modi was announced as BJP's prime ministerial candidate.

"There could be possibly nothing more undemocratic than this," he said.

Terming it as an internal matter of BJP, Union Minister Kapil Sibal said "some people want to advance their Diwali celebration, let me celebrate it but we will celebrate Diwali on time".

Asked if Modi poses a challenge to the Congress, he said, "We will be in election mode soon. As and when it comes, we shall deal with all political parties".

Veteran CPI leader A B Bardhan said it would only pave the way for a revolt in BJP.

Samajwadi Party, which is an outside ally of UPA, said people will never accept Modi, his ideology and policies.

"His dream will never come true", said party leader Naresh Agrawal.

"It seems that as if Narendra Modi will become the PM without the general election. During childhood, we used to play a game in which one could even buy Juhu or Chowpatty as if we were owners of Mumbai...public will never accept his ideology and policies. This dream will never come true," Agrawal said.

Congress leader Digvijay Singh had last night said the country will never accept Modi.

"Modi was not an issue for the Congress," Digvijay said, adding his party was not fighting against any individual, but the ideology of spreading communalism.

In a statement, Badal said the decision was in sync with the mood of the nation and will help the country get rid of the "grave paralysis of administrative and political will under the scam-tainted UPA regime."

Badal expressed confidence that Modi will "free the country from the misrule of the Congress-led UPA" and said Punjab and Punjabis were looking forward to a change at the Centre, as people were fed up with UPA government's policies.